Art has long been classically considered a noble endeavor. When I think of art, I think of the higher aesthetic things. The uplifting inspiring creativity of beautiful expression. Both the art portrayed, as well as the creative talent of the artists uplift the mind and heart.
Many art circles denigrate realism for its “unoriginality”. Life is so full of beauty and wonder, given to us by our Creator, that to highlight this is to me the high part of art. It expresses the deep parts of the creative heart, a gift given by our Creator. Realism really brings this to the fore. Realism is not pretentious, does not distort, nor does it need a lengthy complicated statement about what it is supposed to represent. As such, it is for the everyday person. To me, that is what art is all about. To bless everyone, we all love art. It is one of the many natural gifts God has placed upon this world to enjoy. The heart cries out in a kind of joy with fine art.
There has been a study that found that people in hospitals who viewed realistic art found a sense of calm. In contrast, abstract art brought the opposite feeling, bringing a sense of stress and agitation, which is what one quite understandably feels when being hospitalized. This says a great deal to me about what art can do. It always makes me smile when viewers find my art peaceful. We need this today. It is true that art does not always highlight the pleasing parts of life. Yet here realism brings a kind of sensitivity and expressiveness that can often not be found in any other way.
Because art is recognizable does not make it somehow lacking. In fact, one could say from the other side, that art which needs lengthy explanations to prop up its relevance does not reach the the average person who loves art. There is plenty of room for all kinds of art expression. As an artist, those I want to reach are those who simply love art and creativity.
